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Feb262020 by James LongmanNo Comments

IPX Ratings Explained

If you are looking to buy an outdoor speaker or sports headphones/earbuds and you did your research, you have probably seen some IPX rating in the specification list or on the box of the device you want to buy. Most of today’s outdoor speakers and sports headphones/earbuds have at least IPX4 rating and some even have IPX7 or IP67 ratings. In case you are not sure what those ratings actually mean, this short article will help you understand the purpose and meaning of each IP/IPX rating. What is IPX Rating and Why is it important? IP stands for International Protection or, in some cases, Ingress Protection. IP (or IPX) rating is the marking that describes the level of protection (provided by the enclosure of the device) against dust, water, and ingress of other particles or fluids. You

Feb152020 by James LongmanNo Comments

How to Measure Sound Quality of Speakers?

Blog, How to

Every browser lists an infinite number of results whenever the keywords "speaker sound quality" are entered. Everyone wants the best product for as little money as possible and we are all trying to find the easiest way to reach that goal. Even though there are so many discussions about speaker sound quality on the Internet, there is one question that arises here – can you actually measure the sound quality of a certain speaker and how can you do that? Every audio device has its sound signature and that’s what makes it unique. Sound signatures can be described by the listeners and the description usually includes the analysis of the low, mid, and high tones. However, if you don’t feel confident doing it, you can always flip the speaker box and read the specifications on the backside of t

Feb52020 by James LongmanNo Comments

Understanding Headphone Driver Units

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Headphone driver units are the integral parts of every headphone advertisement, presentation or purchase. Drivers are mentioned every single time someone wants to point out the advantages of a certain headphone/earbud model. This leads us to the conclusion that driver units must be very important elements of every pair of headphones, regardless of their type or purpose. However, if you ask a random person in the street about driver units, they won’t be able to give you the exact explanation because most people don’t really understand how these devices work. This is why we want to ask you a simple question. Have you ever wondered how your headphones work and how they produce the sound you love so much? If you have and you are looking for the right answer, you’ve come to the right pl

Jan262020 by James LongmanNo Comments

Dynamic Drivers vs Balanced Armature Drivers

Blog, Comparisons

The main reason why we decided to write about dynamic and balanced armature drivers is to make people aware of small units hidden inside pretty earbud and headphone enclosures. We have noticed that more and more people make their choices based on a device’s design. Of course, we don’t want to insinuate that those buyers don’t pay any attention to the device’s specs but if they aren’t really familiar with all those abbreviations, numbers and units of measure, they are definitely more comfortable to make their decisions based on the looks and price tags. Headphones and speakers, as well as all the audio equipment and hearing aids, consist of many small parts that work together to deliver the best possible sound and satisfy their users’ needs. We don’t want to say that the performance

Jan252020 by James LongmanNo Comments

Bluetooth Audio Codecs Explained

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The main reason for discussing Bluetooth audio codecs is the fact that Bluetooth is the future of wireless headphones and earbuds. We’ve had some doubts for a while but the increasing number of new smartphones without aux ports has reassured even the most suspicious ones. Apple was the first company to remove the headphone jack from their iPhone 7 and some other manufacturers did the same. Does the lack of headphone jacks imply that we don't need them anymore? Well, we'll see about that later but the fact is that the modern world is all about convenience. Considering the fact that we all live faster and that we are constantly “on the go”, the necessity to make everything light, portable and simpler is perfectly understandable. Subsequently, Bluetooth technology is rapidly developing

Feb82020 by James LongmanNo Comments

How to Build the Ultimate Home Theater Experience?

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Tired of crowded movie theaters full of loud people, dirty chairs and floors covered in snacks? We have an interesting suggestion for you – create your own home theater experience and enjoy your favorite movies in your own house. Cinemas have always been popular and they will certainly remain one of those magic places where people come to relax and enjoy their free time. However, everyone who's visited the cinema more than once knows how frustrating the whole experience can be. Cinemas are always crowded and many people just love to talk during the whole projection. Also, there are dirty auditoria, uncomfortable seats, and pricey tickets (especially if you’re taking your whole family). Of course, movie theaters wouldn’t be so popular if they didn’t have many advantages such as pe

Jan252020 by James LongmanNo Comments

IPX4 Water Resistance Rating Explained

Blog

If you’ve been buying modern electronic devices, especially earbuds and speakers, you have probably heard about the IPX4 rating. We assume that you have some basic understanding of IPX ratings but we’ve decided to write a short article about IPX4 water resistance rating and explain its meaning and importance. Many of today’s products are classified as water-resistant, water repellent, waterproof or hydrophobic. These terms are used to describe the level of protection against liquid intrusion and are often misunderstood because they are used in different situations and for different types of products. For example, the terms “water-resistant”, “water repellent” and “hydrophobic” are usually used to describe the level of clothes protection while the term “waterproof” is used to describe th

Feb202020 by James LongmanNo Comments

2019 Product of the Year Award Winners

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The year-end is near and it's the perfect time to look back and try to make some reflections. 2019 was an incredibly productive and exciting year for all of us at AudioReputation. We've tested so many amazing products - headphones, earbuds, speakers, home theater systems, DACs, amps, preamps, etc. Some of them were incredibly innovative, even revolutionary. Some have pushed the boundaries of exceptional sound quality and listening experience. We wanted to honor those best of the best and tell the world about their excellence. That’s what this article is about. We’ve had a difficult time trying to make a comprehensive selection and not to forget something. There were so many great products but we finally did it. We’ve selected the best products of the year 2019 and arranged them int

Feb252020 by James LongmanNo Comments

The History of Headphones

Blog

What is, besides a wallet, phone, and keys, a "must-have" object in your bag or pocket? The answer is, in fact, quite simple – headphones. Even though the original headphone use wasn't related to listening to music at all, they’ve been present in our lives for almost 140 years and they have significantly evolved since the day they first appeared. Regardless of their purpose and way of use, headphones have been an extremely important part of our lives and our love for them has been growing for decades. It seems that no human can go outside without a pair of headphones. No matter if they are full-size headphones or earbuds, they are a mandatory accessory of every modern person. When they were first produced, there was only one model of headphones, while today, there is something for every

Jan252020 by James LongmanNo Comments

5.1 Surround Sound vs. 7.1 Surround Sound

Blog, Comparisons

Surround sound systems have become popular only recently and this is what makes people think of them as of some new technology. Well, this is far from the truth as surround sound systems came into existence with the introduction of surround sound audio formats back in the 1930s. As you could probably guess, surround sound systems first appeared in the film industry and Disney was responsible for this innovation. At the time, the technology was too expensive for application because it required numerous speakers to create the effect of surround sound in a movie theater, so the creators gave up on it. This question was raised again in the 1950s (again, in the film industry) but its real expansion didn't start until 1975 when a new sound format Dolby Stereo appeared (you can find a more thorou...